I'd love to elaborate! What grooming products do you use/like/hate? Especially interested in opinions from owners of fluffy dogs and those who show in conformation. And any recommendations for natural products?

I'm still shopping around for shampoos...right now I just buy the cheap stuff. I groom Sienna at home, but she always looked better when the groomer did it. (I guess that's why they're the professionals LOL.) I'm assuming the dryer makes a huge difference?

The dryer does make a huge difference in the finish product. Often times it does a better job than any brush ever could. My personal favorite dryer is the K9 II. it does a fantastic job with dogs of all sizes and hair types.

As far as shampoo series I like pretty much everything by Groomer's Edge matched appropriately to the dog's coat/needs. Conditioners depends on the breed and environment. With the papillons I have to avoid anything that leaves too much shine because it also creates a bad texture and can attract mess to that white coat so I use a silicone free conditioner. With another breed like a mini schnauzer I may want to add in that shine so I use a different conditioner.

Once you find a shampoo/conditioner combo that works well for you and that particular dog I can't suggest getting a concentrated gallon of both strongly enough. The stuff lasts a lifetime for a fraction of the cost over the years of the dog. A normal gallon of shampoo costs between 20-$35 and a gallon of conditioner depending on what it is costs between $20-$50. I've had the same gallon of shampoo now with my dogs for about 4 years now and I don't think it's 75% empty.

Also don't worry about shampoo scent. Honestly if you can still smell the shampoo after you rinse the dog you need rinse more. You add scent with the after spray which can smell like whatever you want.

The force dryer makes a huge difference for sure. It gets so much more undercoat out than brushing and it adds a lot of volume to the coat. There is definitely a huge difference in products too. For a double coated breed, if you want to use a conditioner you need one that isn't too heavy or waxy. I haven't found much better than Chris Christensen's Spectrum One series. There's a shampoo, conditioner for harsher coated breeds (won't soften or weigh down the coat) and a "substance builder" which helps had volume. Cherrybrook and many other places sell it (Spectrum Ten is for drop coated breeds or dogs with a softer, silkier coat): http://www.cherrybrook.com/index.cfm...ensen_Shampoos

For a less pricey but still good product, I like Nature's Specialties Almond Crisp shampoo and find their Remoisturizing Conditioner with Aloe is suitable for double coated breeds (it isn't waxy and doesn't weigh the coat down). For an all around great smelling general shampoo, I Love their Lav-A-Derm. http://www.naturesspecialtiesmfg.com/

For show grooming, there's other things you do as well depending on breed that aren't really practical or even recommended for daily grooming. This often involved using products on the coat the day of the show such as gel, hairspray, chalk, sprays, etc.

I used to use a hair dryer on my guys (or let them go outside if it was hot!) These days I use a Metro Forced Air Quick Draw. It's sub-$100 and works really well. The only downside is hair goes EVERYWHERE! I would use it in the bathroom (easiest to clean), but the acoustics in our bathroom are terrible and it makes it so loud. I can only imagine it's even worse for the dogs in there if it's that loud to me.

OTOH the fact that the hair is flying everywhere means it's blowing out that much dead hair anyway, so, give & take!

I used to use a hair dryer on my guys (or let them go outside if it was hot!) These days I use a Metro Forced Air Quick Draw. It's sub-$100 and works really well. The only downside is hair goes EVERYWHERE! I would use it in the bathroom (easiest to clean), but the acoustics in our bathroom are terrible and it makes it so loud. I can only imagine it's even worse for the dogs in there if it's that loud to me.

Metro is an excellent brand but if you have a big hairy dog, that dryer is just not going to cut it. You'd need one of their more powerful options or it would take forever to get them dry. All force dryers are loud. I wear earplugs/headphones at work because exposure to it all day, every day will cause hearing loss. If your dog is bad about noise, you can try stuffing cotton in their ears and/or using a "happy hoodie". Also using the dryer without a nozzle the first few times.

Force dryers are awesome! I cheat and go to the do-it-yourself dog wash. Well worth the $15 because I don't have to clean up the hairy mess!

I usually use Buddy Wash shampoo/conditioner in Lavender Mint. It lathers well, cleans/deodorizes well (I'll be honest I really only bath them like once or twice a year or if they get in something really nasty), and rinses easily. I really like it!

Right now I have the Happy Tails spa Ruff to Smooth detangling/conditioning spray to aid in brushing out Scout's feathers. I really like it a lot! It absorbs fast, conditions well, and doesn't weigh down the poofies. It smells good, but the scent doesn't linger for days, which was what drove me nuts about some other products. I will probably buy it again.

Also, the key tools you need for a fluffy double coated dog are a good undercoat rake, slicker brush, and nail clippers/grinder. I don't bother trimming Scout's excess foot poofies because she's really good about keeping her feet clean and letting me wipe them down.... plus she's a house dog, not a show dog. Maybe I'm weird, but I love the crazy hair around her ears.

Once you find a shampoo/conditioner combo that works well for you and that particular dog I can't suggest getting a concentrated gallon of both strongly enough. The stuff lasts a lifetime for a fraction of the cost over the years of the dog. A normal gallon of shampoo costs between 20-$35 and a gallon of conditioner depending on what it is costs between $20-$50. I've had the same gallon of shampoo now with my dogs for about 4 years now and I don't think it's 75% empty.

Good idea, thanks!

How loud are the dryers? That's the one thing I don't think Sienna would like very much. I took her to a self-service pet wash once, and the dryer was LOUD. Didn't help that we were in a tiny enclosed space, either, but it gave ME a headache even. And was rather like wrestling with a fire hose, LOL. But boy did it get the loose hair off...off of the dog, and onto me.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beanie

I used to use a hair dryer on my guys (or let them go outside if it was hot!) These days I use a Metro Forced Air Quick Draw. It's sub-$100 and works really well. The only downside is hair goes EVERYWHERE! I would use it in the bathroom (easiest to clean), but the acoustics in our bathroom are terrible and it makes it so loud. I can only imagine it's even worse for the dogs in there if it's that loud to me.

OTOH the fact that the hair is flying everywhere means it's blowing out that much dead hair anyway, so, give & take!

Yeah, I normally wash her in the backyard when it's warm enough (Southern California, so it usually is!) and she drip-dries. Not the best look for her. I'll look into that dryer, sub $100 is a good price! She's only a small hairy dog, so maybe it will suffice!

What's an undercoat rake? I usually use a slicker brush, I also have a Furminator, mat comb, and cushion brush (like for humans) taking up space in the cabinet. The only one that really ever gets used is the slicker.